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Engineers on Early Diesel Power

Posted by Anonymous

on Thu, Aug 26 2004 8:44 PM

For example, when theB&O sarted running its EAs, did the B&O hire new engineers specifaclly to operate the EAs or did the railroads ask steam engineers to operate them? I've been wondering about this question for a while, and I'm not just talking about the EAs, but every early diesel locomotive.

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Posted by DSchmitt

on Fri, Aug 27 2004 12:14 AM

The railroads trained the engineers they already employed. There is a lot more to running a train (knowledge of the rules and the railroad to name two) than just operating the controls of the locomotive, and besides the unions would have shut them down if they had tried to do that.

I tried to sell my two cents worth, but no one would give me a plug nickel for it.

I don't have a leg to stand on.

Posted by ndbprr

on Fri, Aug 27 2004 8:07 AM

One other aspect also. Early diesels - FT's for certain used drawbars between permanently connected units lest anyone decide that they were separate engines and each required a crew as on doubleheaded steam. On the PRR the first F3's were numbered 9502a and 9502b for the same reason.